Tool sharpener



W June 1 1926.

C. E. SHAW TOOL SHARPENER Filed ay 27. 1924 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 June 1 W260 v 1,587,492

c E. SHAW TOOL SHARPENER Fild y 27 1924 2. Sheets-Sheet 2 Fatented June 1, 1926.

filHTE STATEfl CLINTON E. SHAW, or PHILADEIIPH'IA, sweetened.

TUOL SI-IARPENEB.

Application filed May 27 My invention relates to tool sharpeners and more particularly to means whereby the sharpener is adapted for use upon blades with scissor edges as well as blades with knife edges.

Heretofore scissor sharpening has been a matter for skilled mechanics and beyond the capacity of the ordinary user. The object of my invention is to provide a tool sharpener of simple construction, available for household use, whereby tools with knife edges or tools with scissor edges may be r iickly and finely sharpened by any house wife or other person unskilled in the art.

These objects, and other advantageous ends which will be described hereinafter, I attain in the following manner, reference being bad to the accompanying drawings in which Figure 1 is a plan view of a sharpener constructed in accordance with my invention, illustrating a scissor blade in sharpening position, I Figure 2 a section on line 22 of Figure 1,

l igure 3 a view similar to Figure 2 but illustrating the parts in another position, and

Figure 4 an enlarged section on line H of Figure 2, illustrating the sharpening elements in action.

Referring to the drawings, 1 indicates a support having a base 2 and supporting members 3. "Rods 4-. extend from one supporting member to the other and are secured there-to. A series of sharpening disks 5 separated by spacers (i is loosely mounted on one of the rods i and another series of sharpening disks 7 separated by spacers 8 is loosely mounted on the other rod 4 with the disks extending between and overlapping disks 5. The loose mounting of the disks and spacers is effected by providing holes 9 in the disks and spacers of somewhat larger diameter than that of the rods and making the. distance between the supporting parts 3 slightly larger than the total thickness of the spacers and disks in each series. When a tool 10 with a knife edge is drawn between the opposing edges of the two series of disks, the disks will cant or tilt slightly to present their sharp corner to the tool as shown in Figure 3.

For sharpening scissors or other tools inv which the blades have but one beveled face,

I provide one or more guide lugs 11 so 1921. Serial No. 716,383.

mounted that they may be swunginto or out of its guiding position. In the form shown one guide lug ism-adeintegral with a spacer (i and extends from between the two adjacent disks so that it may be swung from its idle position, shown in Figure 3, to the position shown in Figure 2. It will then engage with an opposing disk in the other series and be held against further swinging movement in that direction. The rear face 12 of the guide lug is plane and affords a guide for the flat face of the scissor blade.

When the edges on one side of the sharpening disks become dull the position of the support may be reversed so that the blade will contact with the edges on the other side of the disks. In order that scissor blades may be sharpened with the support in either position, I prefer to provide a guide lug mounted upon each of the rods, the guide lugs preferably extending from the spacers nearest the longitudinal center of the tool. The second guide lug extends from a spacer 8 and the two guide lugs function in the same manner.

For sharpening a tool with a knife edge, the guide lug or guide lugs are disposed in their idle position and the blade drawn between the opposing series of disks. The Y friction between the tool and the sharpening disks causes the disks of each series to tilt from the disks of the other series so that the tool engages the sharp corner edge of each disk and the tool will be quickly and finely sharpened.

F or sharpening a tool with a scissor edge, the proper guide lug is swung into its operative position and the blade, with its flat face in contact with the guiding face of the lug is drawn between the guide lug and the opposing series of disks. The disks will be tilted as before, and the blade quickly and finely sharpened.

While I have described my invention as taking a particular form, it will be understood that the various parts may be changed without departing from the spirit thereof, and hence I do not limit myself to the precise construction set forth, but consider that I am at liberty to make such changes and alterations as fairly come within the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. A sharpener comprising a support; a

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series of sharpening disks; another series of sharpening disks overlapping the disks of the first series; spacers between the disks of each series the disks and spacers being axially arranged and tiltably mounted on the support, and means on a spacer of one series adapted to be swung into engagement with a disk on the other series and to guide a tool over the edges oi? the disks.

2. A sharpener comprising asupport; rods on the support; disks loosely mounted on each rod, the disks on one rod over lapping the disks on the other rod; spacers loosely mounted on each rod between the disks, and a guide lug; on a spacer on one red adapted to be swung into engagement with a disk 011 the other rod and to guide a tool over the edges of the disks.

3. A sharpener comprising a support; a series of sharpening disks; a second series of sharpening disks overlapping the disks of the first series; spacers between the dis-ks of each series, the disks and spacers being axially arranged and tiltahly mounted OYGI the support, and means on a spacer of each series adapted to be swung into engagement With a disk on the other series and to guide a tool over the edges of the disks.

In testimony Whereot I have signed in name to this specification.

CLINTON E. SHAW. 

